1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to surgical suits and, more particularly, to a surgical suit that provides a high degree of sterility while being comfortable for the wearer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a variety of circumstances where a worker is required to work for extended periods of time in an uncomfortable environment. For example, surgeons and other personnel in operating rooms must spend extended periods of time in an environment that requires the greatest degree of sterility possible while maintaining high levels of ambient light. Although operating rooms usually are air-conditioned, the heat generated by overhead lights causes high temperatures to exist in the region of the lights themselves. Surgeons and other personnel that are required to stand for extended periods of time in proximity to the operating table thus will find that the lower portions of their bodies are comfortable, while the upper portions of their bodies are subjected to intense heat from the operating room lights.
A variety of techniques have been used to attempt to alleviate the discomfort of surgeons and other operating room personnel. One approach that has been tried in areas other than operating room conditions involves providing a helmet with a battery powered or solar powered fan. The fan is arranged relative to the helmet such that a flow of air will be directed downwardly about the face and head of the wearer. A representative example of such a helmet is disclosed in the patent to Waters, U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,356.
Another approach involves providing a protective suit for the worker. A source of pressurized air is connected to the suit by means of a supply hose that enables air to flow between the worker and the inner surfaces of the suit. Such a device is disclosed in the patent to Blackburn, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,216.
In an effort to increase the comfort of persons who must work in extremely warm environments, an air conditioning capability has been provided for helmets and suits. For example, the patent to Apisdorf, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,347, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a thermoelectric heat pump, also referred to as a thermoelectric module (TEM), included as part of a helmet-attached housing. The TEM is a so-called Peltier device that has a heat abstraction side and a heat dissipation side. Air is flowed past the heat dissipation side by means of a fan and thereafter is directed downwardly past the face of the user to cool the user's face. The patent to Lehovec et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,263, is similar to the patent to Apisdorf in the sense that a device operating on the Peltier principle is used to cool the user. In Lehovec, the Peltier device makes direct contact with the user's skin.
The patents to Frantti, U.S. Pat. No. 3,085,405, and Galvan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,294, disclose protective body suits having an air conditioning capability. Both Frantti and Galvan et al. disclose the use of Peltier devices to cool the wearer. In Frantti, the Peltier device is attached directly to the back of the suit and air is blown into the suit through several ducts. A similar arrangement is provided by Galvan et al., where the Peltier device, a fan, and ductwork are disposed outside the suit.
A problem not addressed by the foregoing devices is providing an effective technique to cool the wearer in a comfortable manner while maintaining a high degree of sterility. For use in an operating room or other clean room environment, it is desirable that the worker be enclosed as completely as possible by a protective garment, but enclosing a worker in a protective garment makes it difficult to cool the worker, and it also can impair the ability of the worker to perform any necessary work. For example, it is possible that the vision of the worker could be impaired, particularly if a close-fitting hood encloses the head of the wearer. Yet an additional problem that has confronted prior devices is that of tethering, that is, the requirement that the worker be connected by means of electrical cords or air hoses to a fixed location within a room.
Desirably, any effective technique for cooling the wearer while maintaining a high degree of sterility would permit the worker to move about without being tethered. Any such technique also would minimize the discomfort to the wearer associated with heavy, close-fitting devices such as helmets. Also, any effective technique for cooling a worker should permit the maximum degree of flexibility and control so that the user can efficiently perform whatever task is required.